


Worthy of esteem

by bennyboyTallmadge



Series: platonic!Washette [1]
Category: 18th Century CE RPF, American Revolution RPF, Historical RPF
Genre: August 1777, First Meetings, Gen, Nervous!Lafayette, everybody loves Lafayette, platonic!Washette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 04:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13849995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bennyboyTallmadge/pseuds/bennyboyTallmadge
Summary: August 1777: Washington meets Lafayette for the first time.





	Worthy of esteem

**Author's Note:**

> First meetings, a nervous but irresistible Lafayette, and the beginning of a legendary and extraordinary friendship. 
> 
> Have fun!

 

“ _Everyone in the place was taken with Lafayette, and his puppy-dog charm was in full flower. Most appealing was his drop-jawed admiration for the commander-in-chief. He was overwhelmed by the legendary general at the other end of the table and could not conceal his awe._ _”_ (David A. Clary, _Adopted Son_ , p.96)

On days like this one, General George Washington was tempted to silently curse the formal etiquette of a dinner party. It was early in August and the summer sun burned down on the city of Philadelphia without a trace of mercy. At eleven in the morning it had already been too hot for the usual business of the streets to take place any longer and thus the city life had almost come to a complete halt during the hours of noon. If one had not used the early morning hour to let some fresh air inside, the heat grew nearly unbearable even inside a building. It was not uncommon to encounter dehydrated and utterly exhausted people on the street – the poor and the servants who were left with no other option but to work despite the warmth were the ones to suffer most from the weather conditions.

A sigh escaped Washington when he thought of the dinner party he had to attend in the evening. The heavy, blue coat he was expected to wear as a part of his uniform of the Continental forces’ commander-in-chief made him sweat from just looking at it. The air in the room he had rented at the Philadelphia City Tavern was uncomfortably muggy, too humid to breath properly. If he were to open a window, however, only more heat would stream inside and thus Washington had sought relief in stripping down to his breeches and shirt and placing a cloth soaked in cold water in his neck. These measures had made it possible for him to finish some letters and orders for the time he spent away from camp.

The recent British troop movements had made it necessary for Washington to pay a visit to the capital in order to consult Congress on how to proceed regarding his own troops. General Henry Clinton was currently stationed in New York with a large force that, for the time being, showed no signs of planning an attack. Another force under General Howe, however, had left the city with a destination unknown to Washington. As if one army would not have been reason enough to worry, the British fleet showed some new movements at the Delaware capes. Speculations had risen that Philadelphia, the heart of the thirteen colonies, might be the target of the recent advances. Therefor, Washington had assembled his main force around the city, anxiously awaiting new intelligence that would reveal if the rebel capital was in danger.

The heat, combined with the unsettling contemplations about the British plans, had caused Washington a headache. He sighed again, rubbing his temple with a sweaty palm. A glance at the watch he had put on his desk next to his pot of ink told him that it was already half past six in the evening. He had taken longer to write these letters as he had intended to and now only half an hour remained for him to grant himself a short period of rest and to ready himself for the dinner. The commander-in-chief had to be presentable to the public, after all.

With one hand pressed into the small of his back he rose from his chair. The damned pain that returned every time he remained hunched over a table for too long! The uncomfortable sting made him aware of the fact that he was not getting any younger. Washington put on a fresh shirt that was not damp with sweat and proceeded to tie his neck-cloth. He could have called for his servant to help him get dressed, but at the moment he preferred to spent the remaining twenty-five minutes in solitude. The dinner would be fatiguing enough in this heat.

It was not that Washington did not enjoy the festivities in his honor. He felt flattered by the efforts people were making to show their admiration for him and he had to admit it – being practically adored by everyone present in a room was not an entirely unpleasant feeling. Still, after having spent the entire day in his overheated room, alone with dozens of letters and the burden of command, it would surely take a while for him to return to a mood that was appropriate for an honorary dinner. Washington tried to remember the guest list for today he had glanced upon earlier. Several congressmen had announced their attendance, along with some of the officers of the Continental forces, Washington’s aides-de-camp and some of the best-known citizens of Philadelphia. A quite high-ranking assembly, Washington mused.

Moreover, the General had been informed that a young Frenchman would be introduced to him tonight. Lafayette, if he remembered his name correctly. The letter had stated that he was an aristocrat who, like many other wealthy Frenchmen, had made his way across the ocean to fight in the Continental Army. When Washington had read those lines, he had not exactly been delighted by the news. There were too many French in the army already, and every single one constantly demanded to be given a higher rank or even a command. They believed themselves to be superior to any American officer, refused to learn the English language and despite their claims of having years of military experience they had until this day not proven to be of any use in this war. Thus, Washington had started to believe that any foreigner was an unnecessary and useless addition, dead weight, to the army.

He had almost put aside the letter, if there had not been the next sentence that had captured his attention. There were three things that set the Marquis apart from the other Frenchmen flocking into America. Firstly, he had offered to fight as a volunteer and did not demand any pay for his efforts. Secondly, he had been appointed Major-General by Congress. As to now, this was only an honorary title, but Washington knew and dreaded that Lafayette would expect to be given a command soon. And thirdly, as it had been mentioned in the letter, the Marquis was only nineteen years of age. Nineteen, Washington had thought, he was virtually a boy. Moments like this made him wonder how much alcohol the men responsible for appointing the Generals were consuming on a daily basis, considering they had agreed to give this blue blooded troublemaker the second-highest rank in the army.

Regardless of what had happened that day in Congress, Washington was left with no other option but to make the best out of this new addition to his staff. He had to admit that he was indeed a bit curious to meet the man whose name had been whispered in every corner of the city during the last week. There had to be something extraordinary about him, considering his swift rise to the top.

After he had closed the buttons on his waistcoat, Washington tied his hair to a braid in his neck. He decided not to powder it today. There was not enough time remaining for that anyway. Reluctantly he put on his woolen coat and asked himself for the third time this day, whose idea it had been to provide the Generals with the same uniform jacket for every season of the year. Then again, the army was chronically short of financial means and there were some significantly more pressing matters than the officers’ attire. Washington closed his pot of ink he had left open earlier and then proceeded to leave his room. As he drew the door shut behind himself, he could already hear voices coming from the dining hall downstairs. It seemed that the first guests had arrived. He descended the stairs, smiling at a chambermaid who crossed his way and who appeared to be very intimidated by the broad-shouldered General. Sometimes he wished that people would encounter him with less fear and with more sympathy. _You want to be liked, George_ , he heard Martha’s voice echo in his head and he could not help but smile to himself at this memory. Maybe his wife was right after all.

When he entered the dining hall, Washington felt how every single eye in the room was all of the sudden directed at him. The mumbling of numerous voices that had been audible from upstairs had ceased immediately. The approximately two dozen men in the room, who had been standing together in small groups for conversation, all had turned toward the General in the door-frame. Washington had grown accustomed to being the center of attention ever since he had been appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental forces, but still he did not feel wholly comfortable with it. Thus, he was glad when the awestruck silence caused by his arrival was interrupted by David Smith, the proprietor of the Tavern.

“Your Excellency! It is an honor to have you with us tonight”, he exclaimed, coming toward Washington with open arms. The General bowed his head and accepted the drink Smith was offering him.

“The honor is mine. It is a pleasure to spent the evening in a company as good as yours”, he replied, which earned him an appreciative smile from the Tavern owner. With a sweeping gesture, Smith invited Washington into the group of four men he had been talking to prior to the General’s arrival. Washington nodded at the guests he passed, exchanging some of the usual courtesies. He recognized most of the faces. Congressmen, delegates, businessmen of the city. A young French aristocrat did not seem to be among them yet. Maybe Lafayette was late. Who knew what the customs in France were, regarding punctuality.

After a few minutes of conversation, a bell signaled that the dinner was ready for the guests. Washington took a seat at the head of the table, next to Smith to his right and Congressman Henry Laurens to his left. The food was served and welcomed by various sounds of appreciation. Owing to the relatively small size of the room and the number of men inside it, the air had grown to be almost unbearably hot. Someone had opened a window and surprisingly that had brought at least minor improvements. Nevertheless, Washington could already feel his damp shirt sticking uncomfortably to his back. The guests continued with their conversations that had been interrupted earlier and soon the room was filled with the sound of multiple, intertwining voices. Laurens leaned closer to Washington to make sure the General was able to understand him.

“My son will be arriving shortly with the other aides. The Marquis will be accompanying them”, he said and Washington nodded.

“I have already been asking myself as to the whereabouts of our new Major-General”, he replied. Laurens chuckled at this answer.

“You know Hamilton, Sir. He will probably be showing the poor boy every corner of the city before bringing him here.” That seemed plausible to Washington. His young aide-de-camp was most likely already acquainted with the Frenchman and if the Marquis had been able to gain Hamilton’s sympathy, the aide would be thrilled about another man his age joining their circle.

Washington had just picked up his knife again to resume eating, when the door swung open and a group of four men entered. Washington recognized Tench Tilghman, his trusted aide, who carried his tricorn under one arm and bowed slightly to greet the guests. The second man was John Laurens, Henry Laurens’ son and aspirant for the position of the forth aide-de-camp that was yet to be filled. He was smiling at Alexander Hamilton, who had entered the room behind him and who had presumably joked about something prior to their entrance, judging by the cocky grin on Hamilton’s lips. The three aides were followed by a young man Washington had not seen before. Especially in contrast to the much smaller Hamilton, he appeared to be very tall and slender. He was dressed in a well-fitting blue uniform of the Continental Army, with the epaulettes identifying him as a Major-General. This had to be Lafayette, then, Washington thought and Hamilton was quick to confirm his assumption.

“Gentlemen, may I introduce to you, our new volunteer and Major-General, the Marquis de Lafayette”, he said, smiling broadly at the assembled men and placing a hand on the young man’s upper back in a reassuring gesture. The Frenchman appeared nervous, with his glance flickering from one man to the next, and he was unconsciously fidgeting with the tricorn he carried in his hands. Washington saw how his eyes widened the moment he saw the commander-in-chief sitting at the other end of the table. He obviously had to force himself to remove his glance from the General and cleared his throat after he had done so.

“It is an honor to be here”, the Marquis said somewhat haltingly and bowed to the guests seated at the dinner table. His English was heavily accented but alone the fact that he, contrary to the other French officers, made efforts to talk in the language of the American people, ensured him the instant sympathy of the gathered men. Some chairs were brought for the newly arrived and the four men sat down, with Lafayette at the head of the table. He was now seated across from Washington, smiling tensely at John Laurens next to him, and thus the General was able to get a closer look at the young man.

The Frenchman’s hair was powdered, but not enough to fully hide a red shimmer. His features appeared delicate, almost frail, with elegantly curved brows and full, slightly parted lips. A blush colored the boys prominent cheekbones ever since Hamilton had introduced him to the assembled. His eyes were still darting restlessly between the men at the table and Washington did not fail to notice that Lafayette was trying hard not to openly stare at him but rather to allow himself an occasional glance at the commander-in-chief. It was inexplicable to Washington, but his immediate reaction was the overwhelming wish to protect the young man at all cost. Tench Tilghman’s voice prevented Washington from brooding over this quite peculiar thought.

“So, our Marquis here came to America at his own expenses to join our cause. And he does not even demand any pay for his services”, Tilghman praised the Frenchman, whose cheeks reddened even further when he felt all eyes resting on him once again.

“Tell us, Marquis, what made you want to fight against our king for us? You have one for yourself, if I recall it correctly, do you not?”, Smith asked, a joking tone coloring his voice.

Washington saw how John Laurens opened his mouth to start translating for the Frenchman, but Lafayette stopped him with a small gesture. “No, please, I understand”, he quietly said to his friend. The dinner guests exchanged some glances, the surprise in them unconcealed. That was new – a Frenchman who did not simply rely on the comfort of having a translator but made the effort of trying to communicate in the foreign language on his own. It was obvious that Lafayette was tense, with his fingers shaking around the glass in his hand, but when he began to speak, his voice was clear and firm, despite his thick accent and the pauses he made after almost every other word to think about the proper English terms.

“When I first heard of America’s glorious cause, my heart already was – how do you say – captured by the thought of, ah, joining this war. The American people – their minds are...different. They are born with a soul that seeks liberty and independence, and this my, ah, people still have to learn. I shall hope that one day the _Français_ will be – have a mind similar to the American.”

The short moment of silence gave evidence for how impressed the men were by the Marquis’ words and by the sincerity they had been spoken with.

“Your country does have one of the strongest and best trained armies in the world”, Smith then said, “Can we expect aid from France?”

“We shall hope so, yes? I will try all I can to secure my king’s – ah, what is the word- _soutien-_ ” He turned to Laurens for help. “Support”, the young man said and Lafayette nodded. “ _Oui_ , my king’s support.” He seemed a little embarrassed for his lack of words but Hamilton was quick to relieve him. “It seems we have gained a valuable friend in you”, he said, his words followed by various sounds of agreement from around the table.

“And you do not wish to be paid for your efforts? How come?”, another guest asked.

“I do not fight for _la monnaie,_ ah _,_ money or for my own glory, I fight for a just cause. I fight to give the American people freedom, for my heart is already devoted to them”, Lafayette replied. Coming from any other man these words might have been no more than a set phrase. The Marquis, however, spoke them with so much sentiment and genuineness that not a single man in the room, including Washington, had a doubt about the truthfulness of his words.

“Well then”, Hamilton said and rose from his chair, a glass of wine in his hand. “I say, let us drink to our just cause, to freedom, and to victory, for it is ours! To this fine company, to an army even finer, and to the finest of all Generals, His Excellency George Washington!” He paused for a quick second before he, with a warm smile directed at Lafayette, added: “And to the Marquis de Lafayette!”

The Frenchman looked all flustered and perplexed when the men around the table raised their glasses. His cheeks, once again, had taken a red coloring to them and he gaped at the dinner guests wide-eyed, but nevertheless with a smile. When Washington from across the table gave him a warm, friendly look, the Marquis seemed for a moment to be overcome with pride and excitement. Hamilton gave him a pat on the shoulder when he sat down and Lafayette grinned at the aide, obviously grateful that Hamilton had given him the honor of being praised in a toast. After the company had calmed down again, the dinner continued. With over twenty men in a room there was plenty to talk about and there was more than enough food and wine to make the conversations even more enjoyable. The Marquis remained the center of attention for the bigger part of the evening, with almost every guest directing questions at him, and Washington saw how the young man seemed to relax visibly after the passing of an hour.

It was only when the sun had long set on the horizon that the dinner slowly drew to a close. Most of the plates were almost empty by now and the bottles of wine had lost a significant part of their contents. The first guests had already excused themselves, saying that they had business to attend in the early morning hours or a wife waiting for them at home. The latter had caused eruptions of laughter among the assembled men. The only ones remaining were three Congressmen, Smith, the three aides and the Marquis.

Washington had spent the past hour deliberating over the idea that had come to his mind earlier about how to proceed concerning the Frenchman. He, as the commander-in-chief, had been unofficially entrusted with the young man’s future in this army and therefor he had to come up with an appropriate suggestion. Prior to the dinner he had not been looking forward to this, but now, after he had made the Marquis’ acquaintance and had been granted a glimpse into his motives, this had changed. Again, Washington was surprised by how quickly this young aristocrat had been able to fully capture his sympathies. He conducted himself in such an earnest and mature manner, and yet he seemed to be nearly bursting with youthful enthusiasm and zeal. In contrary to the other Frenchmen who had come to America to demand commissions as high-ranking officers, Lafayette had not a trace of their presumptuous and arrogant behavior in him. He made the impression that he was indeed here not to gain fame in a war that was not his own, but because he genuinely believed in the American cause. Of course he longed for glory, what else could be expected from a man his age, with the boyhood-stories of knights and ancient heroes still present in his mind? But how he had spoken of liberty, of equality, republicanism, it had sounded not a bit deceptive or like something he had merely recited like a poem learnt by heart. He had sounded as if his devotion to the American ideals were already deeply engraved in his heart and mind – not even the best actor could have forged such convictions.

Washington, still deep in thought, glanced at the Marquis. Lafayette was standing at the open window, in conversation with John Laurens. Washington was able to hear snippets of rapid French and for a moment felt like a foreigner himself – he did not understand a single word. It had to be quite thrilling of a topic the two young men were discussing, judging by Lafayette’s sweeping gestures and the intensity of his facial expression. The lights of the candles illuminated his features in warm orange tones and it was now more obvious than ever that underneath the powder the Marquis’ hair was bright red. Washington, still watching the Frenchman who was unaware of the General’s glance, saw fire burning in his eyes. He was convinced that he, in this moment, was seeing the overwhelming ardor and passion hidden behind the surface of a shy, vulnerable boy. If he were to charge into battle with this amount of fervor...no, this man would surely be no superfluous addition to the army, Washington was sure. T

he General rose from his chair and made his way over to the window where Laurens and Lafayette were still deeply absorbed in their discussion. He cleared his throat when he came to stand behind the Frenchman in a few feet distance.

“Marquis? A moment, if you will?”

Lafayette almost jumped at his voice. Washington feared for a moment that he might drop the glass of wine he was holding in his right hand.

“ _Oui_ , ah, yes, of course, Sir”, he stammered in a hectic manner and was quick to straighten his back. Laurens nodded at Washington and stepped aside to allow the two men to have a private conversation. The Marquis’ glance followed him for a second, as if he wished Laurens would stay instead of leaving him alone with the General, who he had been covertly adoring for the past hours. Washington noticed that the young man was trembling slightly, his whole body tense with both excitement and nervousness. He had to admit that he found the Marquis’ reaction to the prospect of talking to him quite endearing. When Washington offered him a smile, which he hoped had a reassuring effect on the boy, Lafayette reciprocated it cautiously.

“Marquis, it is only proper for me to come to you personally before this company is to part”, Washington said. He gave Lafayette some time to think about a response when he saw that the Frenchman had opened his mouth as if he intended to say something. He had proven himself eager to try and talk in the yet foreign tongue and therefor he deserved to be given a chance to do so.

“I had no expectations, Sir”, he finally said in his halting, accented English. There it was again, the modesty, that had made such an impression on the dinner guests today.

“I wanted to thank you for the efforts you made in joining our cause and let you know that they are greatly appreciated”, Washington continued. He was careful to speak in a slow and clear manner to ensure that Lafayette was able to at least comprehend the bigger parts of what he was telling him. “Not many men your age are able to show a spirit as noble as yours, and do believe me, not many more my age can. Your person, as it seems, will be an enrichment to this army. I have to remind you that your rank is of an honorary nature for the time being and I can thus not offer you a command. It would, however, be my pleasure if you would establish yourself at my headquarters as a part of my military family, whenever you think it proper, and consider it your home.”

Washington saw how the Frenchman’s face lit up at his words. The blush coloring his cheeks had returned at the General’s praise for him and it took him a few seconds to realize that he was staring at Washington with a slightly gaping mouth. He quickly shut his mouth, a smile spreading across his face.

“That – that is a great honor, _général_ , I shall certainly, ah – do so”, he said, the strong sentiments audible in his voice.

“I fear that this army will not be able to offer you a life as comfortable as you may be used to from the French court”, Washington warned, “But considering your devotion to the American cause I am confident that you will find yourself in a satisfying condition.”

Lafayette was still gleaming with pride and unconcealed joy and Washington’s words could do nothing to change that.

“It is more than I ever, ah – ever, dared for to hope”, he said, his overwhelming emotions getting the better of his newly acquired English skills. He could not have told with absolute certainty, but Washington believed to see tears shimmering in the Marquis’ eyes.

“Thank you, Sir, thank you so much”, Lafayette added after he had collected himself, indicating a small bow. Entirely untypical for him, Washington could not help a warm smile creeping onto his lips. He looked at the young Frenchman before him, who was now certainly by far the happiest man in the room. Washington was not sure how the fortunes of war would continue to play, nobody was. The British could take Philadelphia the next week, the Continental Army could be forced into surrender, even he himself could die in battle. Still, he had the feeling that this young man was destined to remain by his side, to face whatever obstacle this war was yet to bring.

**Author's Note:**

> Say hello on Tumblr: @bennyboy-tallmadge
> 
> I chose the title because Washington wrote in a letter after this dinner that he thought Lafayette to be "worthy of esteem". I tried to make this story as historically accurate as possible - Washington and Lafayette met for the first time on August 5th 1777 at a dinner at Philadelphia City Tavern, Lafayette was very nervous but, owing to his charm, managed to get all of the assembled men to take an instant liking in him. Washington took him aside afterward and offered him to live in his headquarters and to always consider them his home.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this story, please do not hesitate to leave some feedback!


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